Wrapping machine



Sept. 27,1938.

G. DALKOWITZ WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Sept. 17, 1954 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR, W Dalkpwitz ATTORNE Y.

Sept. 27, 1938.

G. DALKOWITZ' v WRAPPING MACHINE' Filed Sept. 17, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTQR, f

G. DALKOWITZ Se t. 27, 1938.

WRAPPING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 17, 1934 v INVENTOR,

601 637 Dalko 74% ATTO EY.

Patented Sept. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

Application September 17, 1934, Serial No. 744,291

18 Claims.

This invention relates generally to a method of wrapping fiat articles, and coordinately therewith to a. machine for carrying out such method.

While my method of wrapping is adapted for flat articles of many forms, it has been found to be of great advantage in connection with articles of substantially rectangular form such as safety razor blades.

The illustrative embodiment of a machine for carrying out my method of wrappingis adapted particularly for the wrapping of safety razor blades, which are of very thin sheet steel, and of a form basically rectangular, and includes means for positioning a blade in relation to a 16 sheet of paper of peculiar shape, and for folding down protruding ends of the sheet over the exposed surface of the blade. As will be apparent, however, after the principles of my machine are fully understood, the same principlesapply to the wrapping of other articles, and modification in detail is all that is necessary to adapt the' machine for such other articles.

Among the general objects of my method of wrapping are the efficient and expeditious handling of the article and the wrapping material, resulting in a product which will be an assembly of article and wrapper of uniform size no great er. than necessary for adequate protection, and of uniform and pleasing appearance, and affordmg adequate protection to the article, while also, where the article is one such as a razor blade. capable of injuring persons handling them, affording protection to such persons.-

coordinately therewith, among the objects of my invention is the provision of a wrapper of improved type.

Among the general the provision of means for effectively carrying out all the steps enumerated in connection with my method. I

' Among the particular objects thereof may be mentioned the provision of improved means for presenting a wrapper to 'an unwrapped blade,

the provision of means for receiving such wrap-' per and blade in a preliminary associated relation; the provision of means for successively fold-. ingdown portions of-the wrapper into the position necessary for the final associated relation of wrapper and blade, and the provision of means for creasing and folding portions of the wrapper at the proper points.

For the attainment of these objects and such other oblectsaswi P be pointed out, I have disclosed an illustrative embodiment of my invention in the drawings,

wherein:

Figure 1 is a view intended to illustrate the various steps in the process of applying a wrapper to a razor blade, the wrapper and the blade 5 being shown in perspective; I

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a portion of a wrapping machine for carrying out my method of wrapping, such parts .of the machine as are on- .tirely conventional having been either omitted 10' or shown in dotted lines;

Figure 3 isa plan-view of the pprtion of a wrapping machine shown in elevation in Fig-- ure 2;

Figure 4 is a view in perspective illustrating l5 the arrangement for presenting a. wrapper in the path of a razor blade to be wrapped;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the lines 5'-5 of Figures 2 and 3, looking in the directions of the respective arrows, and=showing the ar- 20 rangement for receiving the preliminarily associated blade andwrapper and for presenting them and passing them on to the folding devices for completing the wrapping operations;

Figure 6 is a view in perspective showing one 25 of these folding devices;

igure 7 is a sectional view on the lines 'l-l of Figures 2 and 3 looking in the directions of the respective arrows and showing the channel and guideway into which the wrapped blade is moved 3 during the course of the folding operations;

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the'arrows,

' illustrating the means for advancing the wrapped blade in the channel leading to the devices for 5 further treating the wrapped blade;

objects of my machine is l Figure 9'is a sectionalview on the-lines 99 of Figures 2 and 3, looking in the directions of the respective arrows, showing means for creasing portions of the wrapper; 40

Figure 10 is a sectional view on the lines ill-J0 of Figures 2 and 3, looking in vthe directions of the respective arrows, showing another portion of the channel and the means associated therewith for completing the folding operation; 45

Figures 11 and 12 are respectively sections on the lines ll-ll and l'2-l2 of Figures 2'and 3,

looking in the direction of the respective arrows, showing successive stages of the wrapping operations and particularly the provision for caus 50 ing one flap of the wrapper to be superposed on the other.

Figure 13 1s a sectional view on the lines l3'l3 of Figures 2 and 3, looking in the directions of the arrows, showing a section of the guide chang" nel near its terminal portions, and, also, in dotted lines, a blade and wrapper assembly in its final form; and

Figure 14 is a perspective view intended to make clear the motions of the various .parts of my machine in-their relation to eachother, conventional means for imparting the necessary motions to all the parts of my improved mechanism being shown.

In wrapping fiat articles such as razor blades, it has hitherto been customary to take a wrapper of rectangular shape, position the blade within it, and then fold over the edges of the wrapper so as to overlie andcompletely enclose the blade. Because. of the rectangular'shape of the wrapper, when the article was placed with its edges parallel to those of the wrapper, a problem was presented by the corner portions of the wrapper, at

which there was excess material which had to be disposed out of the way, with the result that, when it was attempted to do so by folding, these corner portions had to be overlapped and a construction involving many unnecessary layers of wrapping material resulted, which made the wrapped blade thicker than necessary and-which caused it to present an irregular unsightly ap pearance. Of necessity the process of wrapping was also complicated.

On the other hand, where the article and the wrapper were positioned in a diagonal relation the flaps could not be made, to overlap properly so as to secure the necessary protection for the article, unless again, portions of the wrapper were overlapped unnecessarily.

By referring to Figure 1, the various steps involved in my improved method of wrapping and the advantages thereof over the methods heretofore employed will be clearly understood. These steps have been indicated by the letters a, b, c, e, f and g.

At the extreme right of Figure 2 I have shown at W a wrapper, and at R a razor blade. The wrapper W is first of all interposed in the path of the blade and held stationary when blade and wrapper have the relative positions shown in the figure at a, with one end of the blade positioned along the line at which it is desired to fold the wrapper. so as to cause one flap thereof to lie over the blade. The arrow indicates the feed motion of the wrapper in order to bring it into its proper position, although it is understood of course that this is only by way of example, as the motion may be eflected from other directions than the one shown. When the wrapper W is properly positioned and is stationary in suchposition, for which purpose the wrapper feed rollers, as indicated at F in Figure 2 'are positioned so as to release the wrapper when it reaches the correct position, the blade R is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow 22, and in moving, it pushes the wrapper against a forming device to be hereinafter described so that the wrapper is doubled up along the line 24, with the body 26 of the wrapper positioned above the blade and fiat against it, and the flap 28 of the wrapper flattened against the blade underneath it. This position is shown at b. By mechanism to be hereinafter described the blade and wrapper assembly is now inverted, and this is illustrated in Figure 1 in which the assembly is shown as passing from the initial position b through an intermediate position 0 and into the final position it of this part of the process, by which the body 26 of the wrapper, which originally Wm folded fiat against the upper part of the blade now underlies the same while the flap 28 overlies it and is at the trailing end of the blade instead of at the advancing end. Before the blade reaches the final position 11 just mentioned, the flaps 30, 32, and 34 are folded in relation to the body 26 of the wrapper so as to stand upwardly substantially at right angles thereto. Suitable mechanism next folds the flap 34 down flat against the blade and so that its end overlaps the end of the flap 23, which are made of sufiicient length for that purpose, and creasing mechanism next applies creases to the wrapper along the lines 36 and 38 which are positioned so as to be slightly spaced from the edges of the blade, whereby assurance willbe obtained that the outermost portions of the wrapper will be spaced from the cutting edges of the blade and injury to the shaving edges of the blade or to persons handling the wrapped blade will be prevented. This stagewill correspond to position e of Figure l. The final stages in the wrapping operation involve a folding down of the side flaps 30 and 32 so that one of them, say 30, overlies the other flap 32, and for this purpose, as the figure shows at f, the folding of flap 32 is commenced first while the flap 30 is held upright, and thereafter the flap 30 is released and folded down so that its end portions overlap the end portions of the flap 32, as shown at g in Figure 1. The blade and wrapper assembly is now in its final form and ready for the next operation, such as, for example, the application of an outer wrapper or label.

I will now pass to a description of a machine adapted to carryout .the' steps of the process just described. On referring to Figures 2 and 3, it will be observed that my improved machine comprises first of all advancing meansfor the blades indicated in dotted lines and denoted by the letter P in Figures 2 and 3, which, however, forms no part of my invention, and a conventional mechanism for presenting the wrappers one at a time, indicated-in dotted lines in Figures 2 and 3, and denoted by the letter F, which also is no part of my invention. Further adjunctive to my invention, without being a part thereof, is a stacking arrangement S for holding the unwrapped razor blades, and for permitting them to drop one at a timeinto the path ,of the advancing means P and against a wrapper in the frame denoted as a.

movement, the blade and wrapper newly received into the spider, are moved from the horizontal receiving position to an intermediate or vertical position, and during the second ninety degree movement, they are again moved into a horizontal position, which, however, is one in which the wrapper and blade assembly is inverted as .;--I1pared to the initial horizontal position, while at the same time during said second movement the flaps 30,32 and 34 are preliminarily folded into an upstanding position, described in connection with Figure 1,. and shown at d in said figure. The pushing mechanism indicated at C now removes the blade and wrapper assembly from the spider B, and into arteries of elements,

referred to collectively by the letter D, which perform the final folding operations described in connection with Figure 1, and pushes the completely wrapped blade along the channel L and 5 into the mechanism for storing or'further processing, indicated by E, and forming no part of the present invention.

The cycle of operations of the machine, partlcularly in relation to the timing of the various movements, will now be described in connection with Figure 14, which shows, illustratively,

mechanism for moving the various elements of my invention approximately in the proper timed relation. It is to be understood, however, that this showing is highly simplified so as to facilitate explanation, and that it does not embody the many refinements of an actual machine, such as,

for instance, the use of cams instead of cranks,

where the speed variation of a crank is not the ideal for the intended purpose.

0n referring to Figure 14, it will be observed that the actuating mechanism is shown as comprising a main shaft 0 driven by a motor M.

The shaft 0 carries a pair of cranks S and T disposed-similarly in relation to. each other, the

crank T being connected by a link TI to a rocker arm U carried by the rockshaft V, which rockshaft through a rocker arm Pl carried at its other end, serves to actuate the blade pushing mechanism P, as is clearly shown in the figure.

The crank S on the other hand, as itturns, actuates a connecting rod K, designed to reciprocate the pushing mechanism C for advancing the wrapped blades. As will be later described, a portion of the pushing mechanism Cis in the form anism in connection with Figure 14 may nowbe discussed as follows: When C and P move toward the left, the extension 90 of C, (see Figure 2) acts to remove a blade and wrapper assembly from the spider B, which is stationary. and at the same time P pushes a new razor blade against a wrapper and into the-adjacent jaw of spider .B. When C and P move backward to the right, the extension 90 of 0 moves backward toward the shaft 12 so as to be positioned in-back of 5 the blade and wrapper assembly to be next pushed out of the spider B, and P similarly moves in relation to the stack 8 so as tobe positioned in back of the next blade to be pushed out. Wiiilethis is taking place, a fresh wrapper W has been fed l-into place, and the spider B has advanced a quarter turn so as to present toward the wrapper and empty blade and wrapper assembling jaw and to the opposite side a jaw containing a blade and wrapper assembly ready to be removed. The

timing is so adjusted, however, that the extension 90 of C, which removes the blade from B, reaches its extreme right hand or rearward position before the blade and wrapper assembly about to be removed become positioned for such removal.

1'0 It will be noted that whereas a blade. and

wrapper assembly is inserted and another assembly is removed at each quarter turn of spider 3, two quarter turns elapse before .any particular assembly advances from its entrance position to 18 its removal position. After removal of the blades from 3, they travel step-wise, in accordance with the motion of 0, along the channel L leading from D and into the next adjacent mechanism E, and the final wrapping operations are effected while they travel along this channel. It will -be 5 understood that at each revolution of the main shaft 0 an unwrapped blade enters the spider B and a wrapped blade leaves. the ,channel L, as will be described more in detail hereinafter.

G denotes the body or main frame of the ma- .10

chine, within which is supported the actuating mechanism as described in connection with Figure 14, and which serves to support the wrapping mechanism which is the subject of this application. ,After this. preliminary explanation, the elements comprised in the mechanism will be described in detail. 7

Referring to Figure 4 which illustrates in perspective that portion of my machine which has 20 been referred to in connection with Figures 2 and 3, as A, it will be observed that to a portion 80 of the frame of the machine isattached a plate-like member 62 that is recessed to receive the projecting end flap "of the wrapper W. A 25 plate 6 is positioned in front of the member 82 so as to prevent forward displacement of the flap 28 from its seat within the recess of member I. A pair of elements 56 and 68, most clearly shown in Figure 2, provide a guideway wherein the so V wrapper as it leaves the rollers F is guided, so that ultimately its end flap will enter the recess in 62 as already described. Members I! and M are vertically spaced so as to leave a horizontal slit between them, this slit being intended for '36 the passage therethrough of a razor blade 8 from the bed of the machine and into one of the jaws of the spider B. This is clearly shown in Figures '2 and 4. The position of the wrapper W is such that as the blade S, passes through the slit it "a engagesthe wrapper at the junction of the flap 18 thereof with its body portion 26, that is to say,

at that portion at which the fold is to be made in the wrapper.

Passing now on to the spider B ltwill be observed a that the same comprises a hub Ilmountedin fixed relation on ,a shaft 12, already mentioned in connection withv the disclosure of Figure 14 as being actuated stepwise by the Geneva stop motion mechanism Z. Attached to each side of hub I0 is a cross shaped plate ll. 'Each arm of the plates 14 is slitted radially as indicated at II in Figures 2 and 5, thereby forming a space within which the blade andwrapper assembly may be received and for this purpose the shaft 12 I is mounted atsuch a level that the slits I. of the horizontally positioned arms of plates 14 are aligned with the guideways'for the blades or blade and wrapper assemblies on each side thereof. 0

' In. order tohold the ,blade and wrapper assemblies in position within the slits a resilient gripping jaw constructionis used, which will be understood by reference to Figure 5 in conjunction with Figures 2 and 3. It will be observed 65 from these figures that one surface of the jaw is formed by a pair of plates 18, one carried byeach of the members ll onthe inside thereof. These plates are made removable and may be of hard, wear-resisting material. The other jaw ,by said plate 14. Plate 801 has the function of preventing passage of the heads of the screws .02 therethrough and of acting as an abutment for spiral compression springs 88 acting between plate 86 and element 80 so as to cause the-said elements 80 always to press resiliently against the plates 18, or against a blade and wrapper assembly, if that is interposed.

It will be understood that as a blade and wrapper assembly is pushed forward into a jaw of spider B, the elements 80 will yield upward sufllciently to permit the entry of the blade and wrapper assembly therebetween and the plates 18, which entry is facilitated by the flare of the entrance portions indicated at I3 in Figure 2. The assembly will then be held in place by the spring pressure.

As a result of the motion of spider B, the blade is next advanced through two quarter turns of the spider, as has already been described,

and as a result of this movement, it reaches a position diametrically opposite to its entering position. The blade is also reversed during this movement, so that flap 28 which at first was underneath the blade, and at its advancing end,

is now uppermost and at the rear end of the blade. During this movement also, the flaps 34, 32 and are caused to stand upright by contact with a certain element of that portion of the machine which has heretofore been desigis in this space between Walls 11 and the pe-- riphery of the hub that the arm 90 is located prior to its removing motion. The reason for the use of a pair of spaced members I4 will now be obvious, this being so in order to permit the freeturning of the spider B, while the arm 90 moves backward and forward through the gap between the two side members 14 thereof.

Arm 90 is carried by a bracket 92 which is caused to reciprocate by the connecting rod K mentioned in connection with Figure 14. An extension 94 of this bracket, shown in the form of a straight bar, carries thereon, at intervals, pusher members 96, the detailed construction of which is disclosed in Figure 8, and which serve to advance the blades along the track L. The extension 94 is supported at intervals from D as indicated at 98, in sliding relation thereto, whereby it is free to slide back and forth.

Referring to Figures 7 and 8 it will be noted that each pusher member 86 carries at its upper end an element I00 pivotally mounted at I02 on the pusher member 98 and formed with an upper inclined face I04. A spring I06 is interposed between I04 and 96 so that if the element" I00 asit moves to the left in Figure 8 strikes an object, it will push the same toward the left, because contact of an extension I08 thereof with member 96 prevents its yielding. 0n the other hand as it moves to the right, if it meets an obstruction positioned in the channel L, it will yield by pivoting about I02, whereby its nose or high portion 2 will be depressed permitting it v to slide, underneath the obstruction. The extension I08 will thereby be caused to -move to the right, being free to do so and in this direction of motion does not act as a stop. For convenience of construction, as shown in Figure "I, one side of the pivot I02 may be carried by a member 4, removably carried by 96.

Passing now to a consideration of the guide channel L, it will be observed on viewing Figures 2, .3 and 7 to 13 inclusive that the same comprises bed frame constituted by two parallel members IIO that are spaced from each other so as to permit the pushing elements 96 and I00 to move in the intermediate space. Members IIO are supported at a convenient point from the main frame G 'of the machine, as by a suitable bracket H8. 4

Carried by the extensions III of the members H0 and aligned thereon are a succession ofdevices, heretofore referred to as D, which complete the folding of the wrapper, and these will now be described in succession, commencing at the right hand end of the assembly D as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

As the blade and wrapper assembly is moved by the spider B from an upstanding position to the horizontal discharge position, the ends or flaps 30, 32 and 34 of the wrapper W, which project laterally from the spider B, come in contact with the edges of a folding device, shown in perspective in Figure 6, and in elevation and plan in Figures 2 and 3 respectively, and comprising two side plates H8 and I20 and an arcuately formed piece I22 which is curved along a cylindrical surface concentric with the spider B. The piece I22 engages the flap 34 with its upper edge I24 at its juncture with the body 28 of the wrapper and thereby folds it so as to bring it into the upstanding position shown in Figure 1 at d, and retains it in such a position until it reaches the lower edge I28 of the member I22. This lower edge is positioned so as to leave a small space between it and the members I I0, and the blade, as it is pushed out of the spider B, passes underneath the lower edge I26 and between the same and the members I I0 with the result that the flap 34 is now folded fiat down on the face of the blade and retained in such position by the said lower edge I28, and when the flap passes beyond the zone of action of I28, the flap is still kept in its downwardly folded position by means later to be described. The member'l22 is shown in the drawings as joined to the part H8 at its upper portion for purposes of support, while it is free of the part I20. This construction is illustrative merely as it is quite obvious that the part I22 might be supported otherwise than from the part H8, or on the other hand it might be supported from both Ill and I20. The particular advantages resulting from the construction shown is that the upstanding side flap 32 of the wrapper may pass through the space I2I left between parts I22 and I20. ,A similar space I23 (see Figures 3 and 6) isleft between parts I22 and H8 at the lower part of I22 to permit the passage of the flap 80.

After flap 84 is bent upward by edge I 24 the motion of the spider B causes fl'ap 30 to be engaged by the upper edge I28 of the part I I I and at the same time the upper edge I30 of the part the members H8 and I20'and to the elasticity of next passes into a channel formed by the members H8 and I20 and guide members I32 and I34, mounted respectively on the pieces H8 and I20, and having inner portions I36 and I38, which serve to confine the flaps 30 and 32 in the narrow channels formed between them and-members H8 and I20, whereby these flaps are kept positively in upstandin relation. Lateral extensions I40 formed on the end portions of I36 and I38 and positioned in parallelism with-the extension III of members I I0 so as to leave a small space therebetween, engage the downwardly folded flap 34,"

and keep it in its downwardly folded position, the space being just sufficient to accomplish that purpose.

The blade and wrapper assembly continues in its passage between the members I58 and I20 until it reaches a pair of creasing rollers I46 and I46 positioned within the channel, and shown in detail in Figure 9. These rollers have theiredges beveled and are inclined at an angle to the members I I0 forming the bed of the channel, so that the beveled edge projects directly into the corner formed at the meeting of parts I I8 and I20 with the members H0. The rollers I66 and I66 are mounted for rotation on membersl50 and I52, pivotally mounted at I56 and I56 on elements I58 and I60 carried by the members H8 and I20, and are resiliently urged into the corners of the channel and against the wrapper by the pressure of springs I62 and I66 suitably positioned between the pairs of members E58, 658 and I52, I60.

Rollers I66 and I08 serve to apply a crease, that is, to form a sharp bend, in the wrapper between the flaps30 and 32 and the body 26 of the wrapper. Theiraction assures the formation of creases slightly spaced from the shaving edges of the blade, so that in the finished assembly the razor blade edges will be spaced from the creases and thereby be adequately protected, and at the same time, a person handling the package will be protected against injury due to such spacing. For example, where the width of a double edged razor blade from shaving edge to shaving edge is seven-eighths of an inch the creases may be spaced one inch or slightly less. In addition, the formation of the creases at these points by this or similar mechanism assures a neat looking package.

The final stages of the wrapping operation include the folding down on the blade of the flaps 30' and 32 in such a manner that the flap 32 will be first folded down to be followed by the flap 30 superposed thereon. For this purpose a pair of grooved guide members I66 and I68 is applied to the bed frame members IIO, the function of which is to folddown the side flaps 30 and 32, and positioned between said members is an element I82, the function of which it is to prevent flap 36 from being folded flat on the blade until this width being just suificient to contain the blade and wrapper assembly and to permit the same to slide therebetween. The upper walls of the recessed portions I12 are flared inwardly as slightly by theupper wall I14 of the recess, as in Figure 11, and then bent farther down as shown in Figure 12, and bent completely down as in Figure 13 which shows a section of the channel at which the undercut is no longer flared. Upon comparing these views with Figure 3, it will be noted that because of thisincrease in flare of the undercut, the inner edges of'members I66 and I68 are cut away in contour toward their right hand ends to form a channel increasing in width toward the right, or considered from the standpoint of the blade assembly, decreasing in width as the assembly advances. Grooves I16 may be provided in the pieces I66 and I66 and similar grooves G18 may be provided in the bed members IIO to accommodate any wrinkles or folds that may be formed in the wrapper during the folding process, and thereby insure smoothness of action.

indicated at m, with a gradual diminution of the flare as the assembly advances, and the effect of These grooves run parallel to eachother and to v the walls I12.

The member I62 already mentioned, which is shown as in the form of a vane, and the function of which is to cause flap 32 to fold down in advance of the folding down of the fiap30, is car-' ried by' an angular member I10, the horizontal leg of which is positioned between the pieces I66 and I68 at the entrance thereof and has the vane I82 mounted thereon. Member I10 is shown as supported from the bed I I0 by a bracket member I to which the vertical leg of member is attached. The action of vane I82 will be passes beyond the limits of the member I10 the fiap 30 is completely released, and, as a result of the action of the grooves in members I66 and I68, folds down over the flap 32 which has assumed a horizontal position in advance of the flap 30. This last condition is illustrated in Figure 13, which represents a cross section through the wrapper and blade assembly in its final form.

It has already been mentioned that advance of the blade and wrapper assemblies along the channel of D is effected by the pusher elements 96, which are spaced at intervals along the'channel and cause the advance of all the blade and wrapper assemblies within the channel by a distance equal to that of one blade at each operation of the pusher elements.

At each operation of the pusher elements 96, the advance blade and wrapper assembly, that is, the assembly at the left hand end of the chain of assemblies moving along the channel is moved into the succeeding mechanism, indicated in dotted lines and by the letter E in Figures 2' and 3.v In these figures it is shown as a wrapping mechanism similar to the one forming the subject of this invention, and such as would be adapted-to place an outer wrapper or label over the wrapper applied by the machine disclosed herein. However, it will be obvious that the mechanism E may be of any type desired, in accordance with v the character of theprocessing to which the blade and wrapper assembly is to be subjected;

While I have herein disclosed by way of example, one embodiment of my machine, it will be obvious that the same may assume many other forms as will be obvious to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims, and it will also be obvious that the practice of my method of blade wrapping is not restricted to the operation of the machine herein disclosed.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for wrapping razor blades comprising a wrapper positioning member for holding a wrapper across the path of an advancing razor blade so as to be engaged thereby and folded over the same so as to form a wrapper and blade assembly, an intermittently rotatable member having means therein for receiving and holding said wrapper and blade assembly while said member is in a stationary position, a guide channel for said assembly, means to remove said assembly from said member while it is in another stationary position and to push it into said guide channel, folding means for preliminarily folding portions of said wrapper into an intermediate position perpendicular to the body of the wrapper before the entry of said assembly into said channel. means for advancing said assembly along said channel, guide means for retaining said last-mentioned portions of said wrapper in said perpendicular position, means for causing other portions of said wrapper to assume an overlying relation to the blade, creasing means for creasing the line of junction of said perpendicular flaps with the body of the wrapper, means for retaining said overlying portions in said overlying relation to the blade, means for folding the perpendicular portions into an overlying position to the blade "and to said first-mentioned overlying portions and means for preventing the folding down of certain of said perpendicular portions until the other perpendicular portions have been folded down so as to overlie the blade andmeans for receiving the completed blade and wrapper assembly after its passage throughsaid channel.

2. In apparatus for wrapping razor blades:

means-for positioning a wrapper in the path of an advancing razor blade and for effecting an assembly of said blade and wrapper, intermittently moving means for receiving said assembly Y and stationary portions adapted to cooperate with said moving means for folding portions of said wrapper into a position perpendicular to the blade, a guide channel for said assembly, means for'removing said assembly from said intermittently movingv means while it is stationary and into said channel, and means, operative while said assembly is in said channel, for folding said perpendicular portionsso that they overlie said blade, whereby a substantially flat blade and wrapper assembly will be produced.

3. A construction as defined in claim 2 in which the last-mentioned means effects the fold-- ing of 'various' portions of the wrapper successively. so that each folded portion overlies the blade and each'portion of the wrapper previously folded.

4. In wrapping mechanism, means for forming creases in a wrapper, said means comprising a channel portion having a bottom and upstanding side walls, a pair of beveled rollers angularly inclined within said channel so that their beveled portion is directed into-the corners formed by the meeting of the side walls with the bottom of the channel, and said rollers being rotatably carried by a member pivotally and resiliently mounted and adapted to cause the beveled portions of said rollers to contact with the walls of the channel at said corners so that as a blade and wrapper assembly passes along the channel with portions thereof horizontal and contacting with the bottom thereof and other portions upblades, a guide channel construction for guiding a razor blade and wrapper assembly comprising a channel having bottom walls and side walls, and a guide member carried by each side wall and having portions disposed in parallel relation to said side walls and spaced so as to permit a portion of the wrapper to pass therebetween and the side wall, and having other portions disposed in parallel relation to said bottom walls and spaced therefrom so as to barely permit said assembly to pass therebetween, said lastnamed portions being provided with upwardly directed guide portions for providing a. gradual approach to the entrance of the assembly into the channel.

6. A guide channel construction for guiding a razor blade and wrapper assembly comprising laterally spaced bottom members for said channel, advancing means positioned for reciprocation within the space between said members, and having meansengaging said assembly for the purpose of advancing the same, sidewalls upstanding from said members and defining the wrapper while said portion is in upstanding position and each of said elements also having a horizontally disposed terminal section disposed in parallelism to said bottom members and provided with an upwardly curved extension at its forward end adapted to engage a portion of the wrapper at the front of the assembly and to fold the same in overlying relation to the assembly and to hold it in saidoverlying relation.

7. A guide channel construction for guiding a razor blade and wrapper assembly comprising laterally spacedbottom members for said channel, advancing means positioned for reciprocation within the space between said members, and

having means engaging said assembly for the purpose 'of advancing the same, side walls upstanding from said members and defining the sides of a channel wide enough to receive a blade and wrapper assembly, and'guide elements carried by each of said side walls, said guide elements each comprising an upstanding P r on parallel and adjacent to one of said side walls and spaced therefrom suillclently to receive a portion of the wrapper in the space therebetween awhile said wrapper portionis in upstanding posi- 8. In combination, a memberadapted to receive a razor blade and wrapper assembly in which the wrapper has a body portion and flaps projecting therefrom, in which the body portion of. the wrapper overlies one side of the blade, and in whichthe line of juncture of the body of the wrapper and a flap constitutes the advancing top and the trailing edge becomes the leading edge, means active while said assembly is beinginverted, for folding the remaining flaps of the wrapper into a position perpendicular to the blade, 3. guide channel along which the blade and wrapper assembly may advance, means associated with such channel for retaining two of said flaps of the wrapper in said perpendicular position and for folding down the otheri'iaps thereof, means for crossing the juncture of the perpendicularly positioned flaps with the body portion of the wrapper so as to cause them to'fold accurately along predetermined lines, and means for causing the downward folding of said perpendicularly positioned flaps so as to cause them to overlie the blade, said means comprising lateral guide grooves associated with said channel,' said grooves having opposed walls converging toward the side walls of the channel, the degree of convergence of said walls graduallydecreasing to a position of parallelism and means near the entrance of said last grooves and positioned in the channel between said grooves, whereby one of said perpendicular flaps will be prevented from assuming a position overlying the blade until the other perpendicular flap has first assumed its overlying position.

9. In combination, a member adapted to receive a razor blade and wrapper assembly in which the wrapper has a body portion and flaps projecting therefrom, in which the body portion of the wrapper overlies one side of the blade, and in which the line of juncture of the body of the wrapper and a flap constitutes the advancing edge, said member being adapted to invert the assembly so that the bottom thereof becomes the top and the trailing edge becomes the leadin edge, means activewhile said assembly is being inverted, for folding the remaining flaps of the wrapper into a position perpendicular to the blade, a guide channel along which the blade and wrapper assembly may advance, means associated with such channel for retaining two of said flaps of the wrapper in said perpendicular position and for folding down the other flaps thereof, and means for causing the downward folding of said perpendicularly positioned flaps so as to cause them to overlie the blade, said means comprising lateral guide grooves associated with said channel, said grooves having opposed walls converging toward the side walls of the channel, the degree of convergence of said walls gradually decreasing to a position of parallelism and means bottom surface and lateral members upstanding therefrom, said lateral members having grooves therein adapted to slidably engage the sides of a wrapper and blade assembly, and the walls of said grooves diverging outwardly, with the di--- vergence increasing toward the entrance of the channel and decreasing toward the end thereof, so that at the end of said grooves their walls are parallel, whereby lateral upstanding portions of the wrapper, as the assembly enters the channel, will be gradually folded down until they assume anoverlying relation to the blade, means overlying the channel and positioned between the lateral members thereof,.and spaced from the bed of the channel so as to permit the passage thereunder of a blade and wrapper assembly, and spaced from said lateral members so as to permit the passage of lateral upstanding portions. of the wrapper, and an element carried by said means and adapted to engage portions of one of'said lateral upstanding portions and to prevent its being brought into overlying relation to the assembly by the action of the grooves of the lateral members until the other lateral upstanding portions have been brought into said overlying relation.

11. In mechanism for wrapping razor blades, a guide channel for conducting a blade and wrapper assembly, said channel comprising a bottom surface and lateral members upstanding therefrom, said lateral members having grooves therein adapted to slidably engage the sides of a wrapper and blade assembly, and the walls of said grooves diverging outwardly, with the divergence increasing toward the entrance of the channel and decreasing toward the exit end thereof, so

parallel, whereby lateral upstanding portions of the wrapper, as the assembly enters the channel, will be gradually folded down until they assume an overlying relation to the blade, and means, other than the walls of said grooves, for delaying the'folding of certain of the upstanding portions until other portions have been folded into overlying relations. I

12. In a wrapping machine: a rotatable member comprising a pair of laterally spaced spiders having opposed-slots therein, and the slots of the spiders being in lateral registration, a jaw member slidably associated with one side. of each slot in such a manner that its face is always substantially parallel to the other side of the slot and resilient means tending to urgesaid jaw member into contact with the said opposite side of the slot, whereby, when an article is inserted within said means that the sides and an end of the wrapper protrude from said means, and said means being movable, and a single unitary bending means positioned so as to engage the protruding portions of said wrapper when said article receiving means moves relatively to said bending means, said bending means comprising a portion adapted to engage and to bend the protruding end of the wrapper into perpendicular relation to the body of the wrapper, and said bending means als comprising other portions positioned in proximity to said first mentioned portion and adapted to engage and to bend the protruding sides of the wrapper after said end bending means has bent the end of the wrapper.

14. In a wrapping mechanism: means to receive an article having a wrapper associated therewith, said wrapper-being so dimensioned that portions thereof protrude from said means, said means being movable, and a single unitary sta tionary bending means positioned so as to engage the protruding portions of said wrapper when said article receiving means moves relatively to said bending means, said bending means comprising a portion adapted to engage and tobend first one protruding portion of the wrapper into par 1 pendicular relation to the body of the wrapper, and said bending means also comprising other portions adapted to engage and to bend other protruding portions of the wrapper immediately after said first-mentioned portions have been bent.

15. In a wrapping mechanism: rotating means -adapted to receive an article having a wrapper associated therewith, said wrapper being so dimensioned that portions thereof protrude from said rotating means and stationary bending means positioned so as to engage the protruding ends of said wrapper when said article receiving means moves relatively to said bending means, said bending means comprising an arcuate portion closely contacting the peripheral portions of said rotating means and adapted to engage and to bend the protruding end of the wrapper into perpendicular relation to the body of the wrapper, and said bending means also comprising fiat portions closely contacting the sides of said rotating means and adapted to'engage and to bend the protruding side portions of the wrapper.

16. In a wrapping mechanism: a combination of parts adapted to complete the wrapping of a partly wrapped article having portions of the wrapper upstanding from the main body thereof,

said combination comprising means for folding down one of said upstanding portions, adapted to receive and to guide the remaining upstanding portions ofthe wrapper therebetween, creasing means for creasing the wrapper along the junction of the body of the wrapper and the said remaining upstanding portions thereof, means for folding one of said remaining upstanding portions into engagement with said article and wrapper assembly, and means to fold the other upstanding portion down over said first-mentioned upstanding portion, and means to prevent the folding down of said second mentioned portion until said first mentioned portion is folded down.

1'7. In a wrapping mechanism, means for forming creases in a wrapper, said means comprising a channel portion having a bottom and upstanding side walls, a pair of beveled rollers angularly inclined within said channel so that their beveled portion is directed into the comers formed by the meeting of the side walls with the bottom of the channel, so that as a blade and wrapper assembly passes along the channel with portions thereof horizontal and contacting with the bottom thereof and other portions upstanding and contacting with said side walls, said beveled rollers will form creases at the line of Junction of said horizontal portions of said wrapper with the upstanding portions thereof.

18. In a wrapping mechanism, a guide channel adapted to receive a partly wrapped article in which two extensions of the wrapper have been caused to assume an upstanding position in relation to the body thereof, means associated with said channel for retaining said extensions in their upstanding position, andfor folding down the other flaps thereof, means for creasing the juncture of the perpendicularly positioned flaps with the body portion of the wrapper so as to cause them to fold accurately along predetermined lines,

and means for causing the downward folding of said perpendicularly positioned flaps so as to blade until the other perpendicular flap has first assumed its overlying position.

GODFREY DALKOWI'IZ. 

